Circular stitching device for sewing machines



H. c. HESS 3,046,918

CIRCULAR STITCHING DEVICE FOR SEWING MACHINES July 31, 1962 Filed NOV. 24, 1958 INVENTOR. H. Carleton Hess BY 1/ ATTORAEY W1 TNESS new Bfiififil Patented July 31, 1962 3,046,918 ClRCULAR STITCHING DEVICE FOR SEWENG MACS Harvey Carleton Hess, Williamsport, Pa., assignor to The Singer Manufacturing Company, Elizabeth, N.J., a corporation of New Jersey Filed Nov. 24, 1958, Ser. No. 776,082 1 Claim. (Cl. 112-2) The present invention relates to a circular stitching device for sewing machines and particularly to a circular stitching device adapted to be secured to the presser foot of a sewing machine, which device will efiect circular stitching during operation of the machine by anchoring the work at a point spaced from the point of stitch formation so that during operation, the feeding mechanism will operate on the work to feed it in a circle about the anchor point as a center.

The primary object or" this invention is to provide a circular stitching device that is easy to use, economical, dependable, and durable, and which can be used with an existing type of presser foot.

A further object of this invention is to provide a circular stitching device for making circular patterns of ornamental stitches, or in other words, a device adapted to be used with an ornamental stitch sewing machine.

Having in mind the above and other objects that will be evident irom an understanding of this disclosure, the invention comprises the devices, combinations and arrangements or" parts as illustrated in the presently preferred embodiment of the invention which is hereinafter set forth in such detail as to enable those skilled in the art readily to understand the function, operation, construction and advantages of it when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of a circular stitching device in accordance with the present invention as used.

H6. 2 is a top plan view of the presser foot and circular stitching device of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken substantially on the line 33 of FIG. 2.

There is illustrated in the drawings a fragmentary portion of the bed 1 of a sewing machine, the upper surface of which constitutes the work supporting surface of the machine, and which is provided with the usual throat plate 2 having a needle aperture 3 and feed dog slots 4. The stitching mechanism of the machine includes an endwise reciprocatory needle 5 that passes through the needle aperture 3 and defines the point of stitch formation on the work supporting surface of the machine. The needle 5 is also vibrated laterally of the line of feed within the designed range to produce an ornamental stitch pattern. The feeding mechanism of the machine includes a feed dog 6 that operates through the feed dog slots 4 to advance the work W past the point of stitch formation to define a line of feed.

The presser mechanism of the machine includes a presser bar 7 to the lower end of which is secured a presser device including a mounting bracket 8 formed with a forked arm 9 that is secured to the presser bar 7 by a fastening screw 10 and a mounting plate 11 that is ar- 7 ranged in a vertical plane transverse to the line of feed.

The mounting plate 11 has its upper and lower edges bent rearwardly into parallel relationship to provide lips 13 defining a horizontal guide channel 14 that slidably receives an arm 15 of the presser foot 16. The arm 15 is integral with a shank 17 to which is pivotally secured the sole plate 18. The arm 15 is adjustably secured in the channel 14 by a thumb screw 19 having a thread shank 29 passing loosely through an elongated slot 21 in the arm 15 and threaded into a tapped hole in the mounting plate 11, and having a shoulder 22 that engages the arm 15. A spring 23 is coiled about the shank of the screw 19 to hold the arms 15 when the screw is backed off. The presser foot 16 is thus secured to the mounting bracket 8 for adjustment laterally of the line of feed.

The presser device as described above comprises a regular sewing machine zipper foot in which the lateral adjustment of the presser foot 16 provides for shifting the sole plate 18 from one side of the point of stitch formation to the other for sewing the opposite portions of the zipper. The circular stitching device in accordance with this invention is designed to be fitted onto the illustrated zipper foot with no modifications of the foot required, thus providing a dual use for the foot, i.e., as a zipper foot and as a presser foot for use with and a support for the circular stitching device.

The circular stitching device indicated generally at 24 comprises a flat sheet metal bar 25 that is dimensioned so as to fit in the guide channel 14 in the mounting plate 11. The bar 25 is formed with an elongated slot 26 extending inwardly from the one end thereof. At the other end of the bar 25 there is mounted a leaf spring blade 27 that is curved downwardly and forwardly, and

has the free end thereof bent downwardly and formed with a point 28. The blade 27 is dimensioned so that the point 28 is resiliently biased into engagement with the work supporting surface of the bed 1 when the presser foot 16 is in operative position. The point 28 is disposed laterally of the line of feed in a line opposite (from the point of stitch formation.

The circular stitching device 24 is mounted on the presser device simply by backing off the fastening screw 19 a suflicient distance to permit the bar 25 to be inserted between the mounting plate 11 and the arm 15 of the presser foot, and then turning down the screw 19 to secure both the arm 15 and the bar 25.

During operation of the sewing machine, the feed dogs 6 operate to feed the work along the line of feed. The point 28 penetrates the work W and acts to anchor the work at that point. Thus, as the work is fed by the feed dogs, it is caused to turn about the point 28, thereby defining a circular stitching pattern. The diameter of the circular stitching pattern can be varied by adjustment of the bar 25.

The use of a zipper foot type of presser device is also advantageous for circular stitching. As seen in FIG. 1, the sole plate 18 is quite narrow and it is adjusted so that it overlies only a single row of teeth of the feed dog 6 so that only this single feeding element is eifective. In comparison with a presser mechanism that overlies the entire feed dog, the tendency to feed the work in a straight line is substantially reduced, thus facilitating turning of the work about the point 28. A zipper foot type 'of presser device has the further advantage that it can be used with an ornamental stitch machine since the sole plate is disposed wholly to one side of the needle and can, therefore, readily accommodate lateral vibration of the needle.

Numerous alterations of the structure herein disclosed will suggest themselves to those skilled in the art. However, it is to be understood that the present disclosure relates to a preferred embodiment of my invention which is for purposes of illustration only and not to be construed as a limitation of the invent-ion. All such modifications which do not depart from the spirit of the invention are intended to be included within the scope of the appended claim.

Having thus described the nature of the invention, what I claim herein is:

In a sewing machine, a Work supporting surface, stitching mechanism defining a point of stitch formation on the work supporting surface, work feeding means for advancing work past the point of stitch formation to define a line of feed, a presser mechanism including a presser bar, a mounting bracket, means for securing said mounting bracket to said presser 'bar, a mounting plate formed as an integral laterally extending portion of said mounting bracket and having a guide channel arranged generally transversely to the line of feed, a presser foot comprising a shank having a laterally extending arm provided ing bracket and the arm of said presser foot shank with said screw extending loosely through the slot therein whereby said bar is secured by said screw to said mounting bracket in adjusted position laterally of the line of feed, and means carried by said bar and provided with a' work holding point (for engaging the work supporting surface resiliently at a point laterally of the line of feed and opposite the point of stitch ctorrnation for anchoring the work at that point to cause the work to turn about that point duringsewing and thereby eiiect circular stitching.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 754,320 Kiesewetter et a1. Mar. 8, 1904 1,021,671 Gattone Mar. 26, 1912 1,111,651 Frosterus Sept. 22, 1914 1,396,447 McDonald Nov. 8, 1921 1,482,907 Brooks et a1; Feb. 5,. 1924 1,794,022 Levin'son f Feb. 24, 1931 2,320,271 Everitt M ay 25, 1943 2,329,160 Hale jSept. 7, 1943 2,359,713 Kessler et a1. L; Oct. 3, 1944 New- 

